A Lady in Silk
by Era Of Aequora
Summary: A beautiful masked lady and a handsome masked man arrive at a Hogwarts masquerade ball.  Who are they?  Slowly becoming a chaptered fic.
1. Chapter 1

This is just a one-shot, but I might (MIGHT) write a chaptered story to lead up to this as the ending…but don't count on it, I'm doing A LOT this summer – learning Japanese and writing an actual novel just some of the things I've decided to do. But, hey, there's a chance. Anyhoo, here's my disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter universe, it belongs to wonderful J.K. Rowling and no other. And _here _is my story.

A lady dressed in a silk, floor-length red ball gown stood hesitantly just outside of a pair of massive doors. She touched the mask on her face-it was black, with white, sparkling jewels forming wind-like patterns in the corners, and spinning from the corners, a veil-like white material that spiraled from the delicate up-do of her hair as well, twirling in streams, mingling with soft black and silver ribbons, disguising the color of her hair. The mask ended at the tip of her nose and just above her eyebrows, her lips rose-red underneath the black mask. Her shoes had slight heels and were silver. She was not used to heels and fidgeted slightly. She checked and made sure that the wide straps of her dress were in the right position, and that the black jewels sparkling on the bottom half of her gown were aligned. She took a deep breath and the doors opened. She walked in slowly, her head held high. The others in the Great Hall were also disguised, their masks veiling their identity, but most of the dresses on the girls were short and low-cut. The suits on the boys were mostly lighter colors, pastel ties, the boys not wanting to seem too into the masquerade ball.

The beautiful girl stood in the entrance as every person in the room fixed their gazes upon her. She lifted one black-gloved hand as though holding onto a man's arm. Several attracted boys shifted forward, taking it as an invitation, but a man with a plain black, Zorro-esque mask slipped in the doors behind her, taking her arm. He was in a plain black but well fitting tuxedo with a white tie. His hair was an ebony shade of black that all those in the room knew had to be magically changed, as nobody in their grade had shining hair quite that color. The lady turned to the man, and they assumed a formal dance pose, pausing for a moment in a very personal closeness before music began to play and they swirled into the middle of the hall, performing the sort of dance moves that the girls dreamed of doing and the boys dreaded having to learn.

Harry Potter stood in the corner with his best friend Ron…they both could recognize each other easily because of Ron's shock of red hair and Harry's scar. They watched the couple in the center, not knowing who the dancers were. They shrugged and wandered off to find pretty girls to dance with.

The rest of the group in the hall found partners and began to dance to the music, but not nearly as intricately or beautifully as the couple in the center. The other students left a sizable gap around the couple, framing them perfectly.

Headmistress McGonagall stood in the corner with Professor Flitwick and scrutinized the couple. "Do you have any idea who they are?" she asked the much shorter professor.

He shrugged. "I've never seen any of the students showcase an ability to dance like that…"

The dance was mostly overshadowed by the magical couple, everyone wondering who they were. Hours passed, the couple seeming to not tire, dancing with no others, not breaking eye contact. Most everyone was sitting at tables watching them as the dance grew to a close. Their lips met just as the final note of the final song played and they finally stopped moving about the room.

The students in the room applauded the couple. They began walking toward the front of the room, where the Headmistress was. The girl whispered something to McGonagall, whose eyes widened slightly and gaped a little bit. She moved to the podium to speak. The couple stood just behind her. She glanced behind her warily before speaking.

"As Headmistress of Hogwarts, it gives me great pleasure to introduce this fine couple to say a few words." She stepped away from the podium and the room fell silent as the two simultaneously reached up to the ties on their masks, letting them flutter to the ground gracefully, keeping their faces void of emotion as the room broke out into whispers, gasps, and shouts.

"Thank you very much for coming to the dance this evening. We, as head boy and girl of Hogwarts, worked extremely hard to put it together, and we hope you all enjoyed the masquerade ball. Please begin moving towards your dormitories."

The couple, holding hands, walked out of the hall, into the corridor. There, Hermione Granger started laughing hysterically. "Did you see their faces? I'm so glad we decided to make a spectacle of revealing our relationship!" She giggled, smiling at the man next to her, who was, in turn, grinning at their fellow students' reactions to finding out not only who the couple was, but that the two were a couple. She then kissed her dance partner, her boyfriend, her true love: Draco Malfoy.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Okay, I'm totally sorry for this chapter. Hermione and Draco are totally OOC. But I didn't feel like making them fight and apologize and everything. I'm too lazy. So, here we go: The beginning of 'A lady in silk'. I'll try to continue it, really, but the next two weeks I'm spending at camp, so…I dunno. I'll see where it goes.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. At all. The original first years and the plot are the only things in this story that are mine. All mine. Grr..

Hermione walked into the heads compartment and immediately moaned, closing her eyes and pinching her arm. "You're dreaming, you're dreaming!"

"I know I'm too good to be true. Glad you think so, too, Granger." Malfoy snickered, reclining on one of the benches in the compartment.

"I was actually hoping this was a nightmare." Hermione turned around and started to walk out the door when a slender hand grabbed at her shirt, keeping her in the little room.

"Not so fast, Granger. This nightmare is one you won't wake up from." Hermione turned around slowly, finally taking her hands off her eyes. Draco grinned a little sideways, leaning forward on the seat. "That sounds a little creepy…"

Hermione raised her eyebrows, sitting down on the bench opposite her new partner as Head of House. "_You're _creepy, Malfoy."

"Ouch, Granger. That was cruel."

"You just keep describing yourself, there." Hermione smiled a bit, removing her jacket.

"Stripping, now, are we?" Draco mimed taking off his shirt, grinning again.

"Well, you're more chipper than usual, Malfoy. Finally get laid?"

Draco smiled. "All the time."

Wrinkling her nose, Hermione let down her curly hair, patting her ringlets in an unconscious gesture as she reclined more in her seat. "Classy."

"Fun," Draco corrected.

"You probably have AIDs, you know."

"AIDs? Granger, you do know that spells can prevent or cure STDs…oh, no you don't- you've never gotten a chance to use those spells." Draco winked and Hermione shook her head.

"I'm astounded by your naivety."

Draco snorted. "Admit it. You've got no experience. You probably don't know what anything sexual means, either."

Hermione scowled at him, pursing her lips. "Inappropriate."

Draco rolled his eyes. "For a kindergartner."

"For a kindergartner," Hermione mimicked in a high voice. "I'm Draco. I own the world. I get loads of STDs but it's okay, because I'm totally dependent on using magic to fix my problems. I don't know what YouTube is."

"Shut up. I know what YouTube is."

"Really? Name the video that got the most hits." Hermione smirked.

"That thirteen-year old soprano pseudo-skater boy." Draco said, his face set in stone.

Hermione let out a laugh. "Justin Bieber is sixteen."

"Really?" Draco asked. "Weird."

"Yeah. You'd think that a boy in his upper teens would be as immature as you." Hermione chuckled.

"Jeez. You just keep ripping them into me, don't you?"

"Aw, did the wittle boy get his feelings hurt?" Hermione asked in a baby voice, pouting her lips.

"No, not Bieber, me."

"Oh, stop dissing Justin Bieber."

"You're a fan?" Draco asked, smirking, as the train shook slightly on a turn.

Hermione grinned, holding out her i-pod. She'd had one of the earbuds in her ear.

Draco popped the other one in his ear, rolling his eyes at the chorus of "Baby, baby..." that met his eardrum. He sang along, his normally deep voice rising and surprisingly not cracking.

Hermione smiled slightly. He nearly matched Justin Bieber. "Wow."

Adding some random "Whoah-oh-oh-oh-oh's," Draco laughed, leaning his elbows onto his knees.

"Are you a singer or something?" Hermione asked, smiling. She was surprised that they were getting along. Well, not that surprised. He'd had a trial just after the war that decided that he had to spend his summer living without magic, with muggles.

"I had to take a class last summer."

"That's it? Wow."

Draco smiled, happy to get a compliment. The train began to slow down. "Dang," Hermione said. "They must have really sped up the train since the last time I was here."

"Aw. Upset you won't get to spend as much time with me?"

"Just keep telling yourself that," Hermione giggled as she pulled on her school robe. She fiddled with the pin, trying to get the point out of the clasp and through her shirt.

Draco suddenly stood inches in front of her, flicking the pin and sliding it through her robes. His mint breath landed on her lips and then he smiled politely and grabbed his carryon. "See you at school," he said, slipping out the door.

Hermione let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, her heart pounding in her chest. 'You're not attracted to him' she chanted in her head as she walked towards the door off the train. 'You're not!'

At least they could talk, now, without bringing out the claws. She'd have someone to talk to, since Harry and Ron had opted for taking an honorary pass for their 7th year instead of returning.

"Hi, Lavender. How was your summer?" Hermione climbed into a carriage along with her ex-rival, Lavender, who she decided to give a chance to.

"It was all right. Straight up boring sometimes, you know. My aunt gave me a computer, so I discovered the internet." Lavender shook her head. "But then I couldn't figure out how to shut it off, so I opened the computer, expecting, like, a switch, but instead it started whining and broke when I jabbed it with my wand."

Hermione was at a loss for words. "Well…you could have called me. I would have told you how to…" Hermione covered her giggle with a cough. "Turn off the computer."

"Oh, okay. If I do something funny with any more muggle stuff, I'll ring you. Thanks." Lavender smiled brightly then as Parvarti stepped into the carriage.

"Hello!" she said. "Hermione, Lavender!" They sat in the carriage amiably, talking about girly things like nail polish and boys until a fourth and final person appeared.

"H-hi. I'm Genevieve…" A little girl peeked into the carriage. "I..I do not know where I am supposed to be," she said in a strong accent.

Hermione stood, climbing out of the carriage. "I'll see you guys at dinner," she said to her friends as the carriage "traffic" finally cleared and it pulled away. "Are you a first year?

Genevieve nodded her head shyly. She had straight, shiny black hair that fell to her chin in a layered cut, and was obvious of Asian descent, judging by her appearance and accent. She had a doll's face, with pale skin, red cheeks, and doe-like eyes that betrayed the rest of her Asian appearance, with dark blue irises. "I am from Japan…I only learned English recently…"

"You seem quite good," Hermione said as she guided the little girl towards the first year boats. Hermione would have to ride with her now that the carriages were gone, but it wasn't such an inconvenience.

"Thank you." Genevieve smiled at her guide, revealing little white teeth.

"So, tell me about yourself, Genevieve."

The little girl smiled shyly. "I was born in Japan, but because my father is from England, people called me white as a joke- because of my blue eyes. My momma is Japanese, and she is a secretary."

"Really? So that's why your name is an English one."

"Yes. What's your name?"

"Oh," Hermione said, not having noticed that she never mentioned her name. "My name is Hermione. I'm one of the Head students here, so you're in good hands." She smiled at the girl. "And here we are! These are the boats we're going to be taking to the castle."

"Excellent! There is our last passenger. We can be off." Draco stood by the water with a roll of parchment, helping Hagrid load kids into boats. "Hey, Granger. Kidnap this one?"

"Very funny. So why are you here?" she asked, sitting in a boat across from him as Genevieve climbed into a nearby boat with three boys sitting in it.

"I was told to help in my letter telling me I was Head boy."

"Oh," Hermione said. "In mine it said to help Headmistress McGonagall with the first years outside the Great Hall."

"Don't we lead exciting lives," Draco muttered, dipping his hand into the lake and promptly frowning and withdrawing it.

"Cold?" Hermione asked.

"No, something touched me." Draco stared into the water.

"I'm surprised you didn't scream," Hermione said, putting her own hand in the water to see.

Hermione let out a shriek as whatever was in the dark water yanked her arm, rocking the boat. Withdrawing her hand, Hermione scowled at Draco, who was laughing at her girlish cry. "Shut up," Hermione said, splashing a bit of water at him, careful to not let her hand linger in the water.

"Ah-oh, the cloak!" Draco exclaimed, touching at his cloak covered in little drops.

"Oh, stop being a baby about clothes!" Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'll get you even more wet if you make a fuss."

"But-my clothes!" he made a pouty face.

Hermione drew out her wand, flicking a stream of water into his face.

"The hair!" he cried.

"THE hair? That's awful egotistical." Hermione chuckled.

"Man. I look drowned."

"You astound me with your stupidity," Hermione said, shaking her head.

"What?" he asked, brow furrowed.

"Nothing."

"What is it?"

"I said, nothing."

"Wha-"

"Nope."

"Come o-"

"No."

The boat touched the bank, and Hermione climbed out. They walked almost silently to the castle, apart from Draco's whining.

The first years giggled at Draco's wet appearance, and then Hermione decided to finally tell him. "You could use a drying charm," she whispered, smiling, as she slipped into the cloud of little kids to direct traffic.

"Damn," he whispered, waving his wand over his body. "I do feel stupid."

"Are you talking to yourself, Mister?" a little boy with black hair walked backwards in front of him.

"No. I'm talking to the devil." Draco said, putting his wand back into his pocket.

Eyes widening, the little boy walked a little faster, to gain some distance. "Really?"

"Yes." Draco said. "He wants to know your name."

"It's Lucas Grant." Lucas paused. "Why does he want my name?"

"So he can kill you," Draco said, his face still serious.

"That isn't very nice of him. Can't you ask him to please not kill me?"

"Sure."

"Thanks, Mister. I like you."


End file.
